 On The Road Again
After returning home for the Gaucho Classic II and finals week, the UCSB softball team will hit the road again for a seven-game non-conference swing. The Gauchos will open with a doubleheader against defending national champion UCLA on Monday and then head to Fresno State on Tuesday for an evening doubleheader with the Bulldogs. UCSB will then finish up spring break week with a three-game series at Arizona State.

 Cancun Can Wait
While their classmates may be enjoying the beaches of Cancun or mom's home cooking over the next week, the softball team will be spending its spring break facing some of the nation's best programs. UCLA is currently ranked as high as No. 8 (NFCA poll) in the country while Arizona State is ranked fifth (ESPN poll). Fresno State, meanwhile, is receiving votes in both polls. Last season, UCSB went a combined 0-6 against the same three teams and suffered run-rule losses in five of those six games. One year prior, the Gauchos had slightly better results against the Bruins and Bulldogs, splitting doubleheaders with both teams.

 For The Record
UCSB has posted a 12-11 record thus far. The Gauchos opened the season with a six-game win streak, but have struggled as of late, dropping six of their last nine games.

 Best Bats In The (Big) West
UCSB has one of the most potent offenses in the Big West Conference with its .286 team batting average and league-leading 104 runs, 180 hits, 93 RBI, 36 doubles, 236 total bases and 629 at bats. On the flip side, the Gauchos also lead the conference in strikeouts (143).

 Acting Defensive
The Gauchos aren't just pacing the league offensively, they are also taking care of business defensively as they lead the Big West with their .972 fielding percentage. Though it is still early, UCSB may be on pace to match its school-record .973 fielding from the 1995 season.

 Two For One
Speaking of the UCSB defense, the Gauchos have already turned a league-leading 13 double plays this year. In 2010, UCSB posted 23 double plays, which ranked ninth nationally and set a new program record.

 Terrific Turnaround
The Gauchos seem to be well on their way to bouncing back from a lackluster 2010 season. With 32 games still slated this season, UCSB is just 21 runs and 13 RBI away from matching its 2010 totals. The Gauchos have already surpassed their 2010 counts for doubles (29). Also, UCSB is currently batting .286 versus last year's .232 team average. The Gauchos are just three wins away from matching their total victories from the 2010 season.

 Kane Is Able
Freshman McKenzie Kane leads the Big West in hits (32) while also ranking fourth in stolen bases (6), fifth in batting average (.386), sixth in total bases (33) and tied sixth in runs (13). The center fielder leads the Gauchos with nine multiple hit games and is amidst an eight-game hitting streak, which is one game shy of tying her season-best. Kane has had at least one hit in all but two games (Tennessee on Feb. 24 and Oregon State on Mar. 4).

 Taylor Made
Junior Allison Taylor stretched her hitting streak to eight games before it was snapped in the Gauchos tournament closer against San Diego last week. The outfielder - who played some first base in the game with the Toreros - is currently second on the team with her .347 batting and is fourth with 12 runs scored. Her .551 slugging and .429 on-base percentage are currently tops on the team.

 Lainey's Big Weekend
With so many solid players in the Gaucho line-up, it seems like each week a different player stands out at the plate. At the Gaucho Classic II, that player was Lainey DePompa. Across the four games that she started during the tournament, the catcher batted .455 with two doubles, three RBI, and two runs. She had a pair of hits in the second games against Wisconsin and UNLV and her two RBI in the game with the Rebels marked a career-high.

 Popping Pilpils
Freshman Kathryn Pilpil leads UCSB in RBI (17), stolen bases (7), walks (12) and is tied for first in runs (13). Her solid .381 on-base percentage ranks third on the team and her five multiple RBI games are the most by a Gaucho this year. Among Big West players, she is first in stolen bases, second in walks and RBI, fourth in doubles (5) and sixth in runs and hit by pitch (3).

 Super Senior
Senior Jessica Beristianos posted the seventh three-hit game of her career in the 5-4 loss to Wisconsin (Mar. 11) and also tied her career-high in runs (2) and walks (2) in the following game against the Badgers. The third baseman is currently tied for seventh with Mandy Edwards (1997-2000) on the UCSB career top-10 RBI list with 81. Additionally, Beristianos is currently tied for second in career doubles (37) with Kendra Wood (1997-2000) and needs just five more to tie the school record set by Edwards (1997-2000).

 Shortstop StoriesKeilani Jennings is ranked third in the Big West in doubles (6), tied fifth in walks (10) and tied sixth in RBI (14). The sophomore is currently fifth on the team with her .268 batting average and fourth in on-base percentage (.358). Jennings is just one home run away from cracking the UCSB top-10 list; she currently has 10 for her career.

 Brooke's Bat
Junior Brooke Putich has been one of the steadiest Gauchos this season. The outfielder is third on the team with her .292 batting average, second with 21 hits and stolen bases (5) and is tied second in RBI (14). Putich has had five multiple-hit games this year and four multiple-RBI games. She also strung together a 10-game hit streak from Feb. 11 through Feb. 25, which is the longest by a Gaucho this year.

 The Lowdown On Lauren
When hits come for freshman Lauren Boser, they usually come in pairs. The first baseman has posted six multiple hit games and has had four contests with multiple RBI. She is currently tied fourth in the Big West in doubles (5) and posted her last two during the Gaucho Classic II. Defensively, she leads the conference in chances (183), putouts (173) and double plays (10).

 Turning Up The AC
Freshman pitcher Andriana Collins leads the Gaucho pitching staff with her 2.80 ERA and 62 strikeouts. She leads all Big West pitchers in wins - she is 8-6 on the season - as well as innings pitched (97.1), starts (14) and appearances (18). She tossed her fourth shutout of the season against Wisconsin (Mar. 12), which also marked her second game this season without allowing a walk.

 The Galicinao File
Head coach Brie Galicinao, who is now in her fourth season at the helm of the UCSB softball program, has coached the Gauchos to a 83-97 cumulative record for a .461 winning percentage, the second-best since the softball program went Division I in 1982. Galicinao has coached three players to All-Region honors, two players to Big West Field Player of the Year accolades, one Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year and 16 All-Big West Conference selections. In 2008, Galicinao was named the Big West Co-Coach of the Year after her first season leading the Gauchos.

 Gauchos.360
The Gaucho softball team has entered the blogsphere. Several members of the team are contributing regularly to "Gauchos.360" filling in UCSB fans on their student-athlete experience. To check it out visit click here.

 Tweet, Tweet
Head coach Brie Galicinao is on Twitter. To get her insights and updates throughout the season (and the rest of the year), follow her here.

 Get Your Tickets
Tickets for all of the Gauchos' home contests this season are now available. To purchase tickets, please call (805) 893-UCSB, visit the Ticket Office located inside the Intercollegiate Athletics building on campus or click here.